Hoy sprints to BBC Sports Personality of the Year

British sport's top award, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was won by track cyclist Chris Hoy Sunday in Liverpool.

The triple gold medal winner from Beijing is the first cyclist to win the award in over forty years. The last winner being Tommy Simpson in 1965, who died tragically on the slopes of the Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France two years later.

Monumental success of the British cycling team in Beijing has set off a frenzy boosting the sport's popularity in the last couple of months.

The 32-year-old Hoy led the charge during the British invasion at the Olympics making the man from Edinburgh the first Brit to win three gold medals at a single Olympics.

"To win this award this year is so special as British sport has enjoyed such a hugely successful year. It's been incredible," Hoy told CNN News.

"I really didn't expect this," said a surprised Hoy, "After the year I've had and the whole team has had, to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year, it just means so much. This is the big one and this is just unbelievable."

Hoy didn't stand alone with his award as the Beijing Olympic cycling squad took Team of the Year, and David Brailsford, the man behind the riders, won the Coach of the Year.